Wireless communication technologies continue to develop an expanding set of capabilities. With increased sophistication of wireless communication devices, enhanced services, such as navigational functionality, have become available.
In support of navigational services, cellular phones are equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to enable broadcast of their locations. Mobile devices are provided with display capabilities that are interactive with mapping applications. The display provides a graphical representation of the current location of the user in relation to a map of the geographical area. Mapping applications can derive travel directions between the current location of the user and a specific geographical destination, on a real time basis. Derivation of travel directions can be implemented dynamically by a remote service provider that has access to the destination location and the current GPS location of the mobile device. The service provider transmits the travel directions to the mobile device. Alternatively, an application resident in the mobile device can derive travel directions if provided with the destination location data and the location data of the mobile device.
In order for a user to obtain directions from a wireless phone, the destination address must be entered. Entry of this amount of information can be difficult and dangerous to do while driving a vehicle or while walking. The degree of difficulty is increased if the user does not know the address of the destination with the particularity necessary for execution by the mapping application.
Therefore, there is a need for an approach that provides improved navigation services for wireless applications.